Telling You
by CarrieUnderwood25
Summary: After Season 4 Finale. "She absolutely hated herself at that moment. It took Booth lying in a hospital bed, forgetting her, and everything that ever happened between them to finally muster up the confidence to tell him how she felt..."
1. Who Are you?

Hey! It's been awhile since I've written a fic and I hate that I have only one finished story. So I hope you like this one. This chapter is a little serious, the whole story won't be that heavy. I promise ;). Time period is after the season 4 finale. ENJOY! Comments are nice.

I don't own Bones, and I'm not affiliated in anyway with the show although I wish I did ;)

_**Chapter 1: Who are you?**_

Oftentimes individuals can't help but think about the lives of those around them. It is in our nature as humans to be inquisitive. We can't help but wonder what is going on among those inside that top floor apartment beyond the glow of its windows. We ask ourselves, is a young couple fighting? Has someone just received wonderful news? Or has someone just been heartbroken? Is a mother laying down her child for the night? Or Are those people as happy as I am right now?

Dr. Temperance Brennan oftentimes asked herself that last question she realized anytime she was with her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth. Being with him was effortless, and practically careless. When she was with him, she was at her happiest and she couldn't help but think about all those who at the same time could be enduring hardship.

She thought about the lives around her when she was sitting in the hospital next to his bedside. The bedside of the man who seemed completely invincible to her, and the man who had saved her so many times from danger but couldn't save himself from the unconsciousness that had seized him because of the surgery he had endured. It was then she wondered to herself if at the same time if a couple was getting engaged, if a baby was being born or if those around her were as happy as she was just a few days ago when ignorance was bliss, and Booth's life did not seem to be in jeopardy. It didn't seem fair that something like this had happened to Booth. He truly didn't deserve it.

She remembered the rush of relief that came over her when he opened his eyes, which was almost instantly replaced with an overwhelming fear that overcame her upon hearing him speak those painful three words,

"Who are you?"

Who was she? Who _was_ she? She was distraught, frustrated; _heartbroken_. She wanted to shake him, grab him by the thin hospital gown that made him look so vulnerable and force him to look her in the eyes and say that he didn't remember her. Would he see the familiarity she would see in his eyes, or would he shake off her unfamiliar gaze as if she was a _stranger_. Four years of working with his man, four years of constant excuses to see each other even if they didn't have a case, four years of his late night visits to her apartment with Thai food in hand, four years of suppressed attractions, and her most recent realization four years of _loving_ this man and she was now a _stranger_ to him. As if none of it had ever happened. As if they had never even met. Everything she had ever felt for him was now on the surface and she was ready to tell him. But what difference would it make now? He'd stare at her confused as to why this unfamiliar woman was declaring that she _loved_ him. _Needed_ him. She absolutely hated herself at that moment. It took Booth lying in a hospital bed, forgetting her, and everything that ever happened between them to finally muster up the confidence to tell him how she felt. _Asshole. _

She thought he was gone. She thought she was too late. She thought that she had let the best thing she ever had slip away just because she was _scared_ to say or admit those three words to him. But that was four months ago. Pushing these thoughts aside, her attention shifted to man she thought she had lost who had just come strolling into the diner. Their eyes met and she waved him over to the window table at which she had been sitting, recounting one of the worst times of her life. He smiled,

"Hey Bones."

She pulled him into a hug, secretly not wanting to let him go.

"Hey."

She still hasn't told him.


	2. Nothing you can't do on Monday

Hey guys! Ah sorry that I haven't updated in awhile! I was really trying to think up something good for this chapter lol. Hopefully it's worth the wait?

_**Chapter 2: Nothing you can't do on Monday**_

It had been a week to the day since the FBI-Squint alliance had put a murderer in jail, and two weeks and three days since a body had been wheeled into the Jeffersonian. Of course a good sign for society, the sudden peacefulness that overcame D.C. created a bit of boredom for those who had jobs that thrived off of the city's entropy.

It was now Friday and Booth had kept himself occupied with other cases throughout the week. Tax evasions and cases involving big shot lawyers touching money they shouldn't be touching consumed his time. These cases became trite quickly making him yearn for another murder investigation. It wasn't that he was wishing for a murder. He hated the fact people needed people like himself to find the guy who killed their mother, their brother, sister, or lover. He hated seeing first hand the toll a murder could take on a family, and he learned to especially hate the look in a mother's eyes after the news of the death of her child. He wasn't wishing for any of that. But he was looking for a legitimate reason to see his partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan and a murder investigation would do it.

Booth sighed as he slumped into his living room couch which squeaked quietly at his contact. Going through the contacts in his phone, he stopped on her name leaving it glowing in a light blue highlight. Who said they needed a case to see each other anyway? They had done it before. The last time there was a drought he had called her for coffee, or stopped by at her place with take-out, and sometimes she even surprised him at his own apartment door. Why should this time be any different?

He stared down at her name. He knew why it was different. Since his tumor scare and after his recovery things had changed and they both knew it although afraid to admit it. They had gotten closer in such a way they never allowed themselves to. Looks were held longer and embraces were held tighter; testing the limits of just how close their faces could get without their lips ever touching. And because of the fear of something more happening between them, their time with each other unprofessionally had be limited. He knew she was scared. And truthfully, so was he. After coming close to not even remembering who she was, the person he'd shared so much with and felt so much for, he was scared of almost loosing her again.

He looked down at her name once more on his phone. He was _not_ loosing her to anyone or anything this time. Pressing 'call' he held the phone up to his hear and listened for her voice.

Brennan's phone startled her as it echoed throughout the lab's quiet. She took off one of the latex gloves she was wearing and placed it down beside the bones she was studying and pulled her cell phone of her lab coat. She looked down at her caller ID before she answered,

"Hey, Booth."

"Bones! What are you up to?"

She leaned her head on her shoulder holding her phone in place as she removed her other glove. She could hear his grin in his voice causing her own lips to curve upward slightly,

"I'm at the lab working on a John Doe actually."

He glanced over at the clock on the wall. The hour would've surprised him if it were anyone else,

"Bones, really? 10PM on a Friday night and you're at the _lab_?"

She paused,

"Well…yes Booth that's what I just told you."

He rubbed his face,

"You're crazy."

"I'm not cra—."

He cut her off,

"Listen how much longer will you be there?"

"I don't know." She sighed glancing down at her watch, "Maybe an hour more."

Yep, this woman was _definitely_ crazy.

"Alright Bones I'll see you in a little bit."

Before she could protest he threw his phone in his pocket and grabbed his keys. He bet she forgot to eat again.

He arrived at the Jeffersonian at around 10:300 after a quick run to pick up some Thai food to go. Entering the lab he saw her hovering over a set of Bones on the platform which seemed completely lifeless without the bustle of all the other squints. The silence in the lab was almost eerie.

"Bones, I'd like to know how the hell you stay alone in this place this late."

She spun around at the familiar voice and saw her partner for the first time in a week. He was dressed simply in a dark gray t-shirt and jeans but she couldn't help but admire how good he looked in it. She returned him the smile he was giving her and turned her attention back to her bones,

"What do you mean?"

He picked up his step in his advance towards the platform,

"Well," he began ascending the stairs, "It's creepy quiet in here and you're alone with _this_ guy over here…" he gestured towards the skeleton as he stepped next to her, "Not exactly what I'd call _cheery_."

She nodded towards the John Doe, "This _guy_ is about two tests away from being identified."

"Nothing that you can't do on Monday." He replied with a smirk, turning his body towards her.

She removed her gloves and turned to face him. As she did so he inched closer to her, their bodies practically touching. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned her head to the side the way she did when she seemed to be returning whatever challenge he was posing with the invasion of her personal space. She took a step closer herself, letting their torsos touch, testing _him_.

He saw the hint of a smile on her face as she did this. He found her studying his expression, staring at him without a sign of backing down. He stared back. He was about to hold this for as long as she would like despite the fact it felt like his stomach was on fire at this point.

Looking at him one last time, she unfolded her arms and walked past him, letting her arm brush his.

He turned around and followed her steps with his eyes, feeling a little dizzy. She was able to do that too easily.

"Bones, where are you going?"

He watched her keep walking, unbuttoning her lab coat in her advance towards wherever she was going.

"Bones?" he said her name as a question.

She turned to face him once she reached her office and shrugged out of her lab coat,

"Well, I figure you're not leaving until you get me out of the lab." She replied draping her blue lab coat over her forearm.

He smiled and began to walk after her, "Very good Bones."

Placing her lab coat inside her office, she followed her partner out his car.


End file.
